Exactly what percent of students are qualified for a university, but don't get in?

<p>Looking at the acceptance rates for schools like WashU where 40,000 students applied but only 5,000 got in and around 1,200 enrolled - exactly how many of the 40,000 students who originally applied were qualified? I mean qualified as in decent SAT/ACT scores, rigorous course load, an EC or two that they were passionate about, volunteer work/work exp, good recs, and above-average essays. Were 30,000 qualified and the rest of their acceptance depended on a few outstanding EC’s or was it more like 10,000 students would be students that a college would love to have, but not what WashU was looking for at the moment?</p>

<p>I’m just trying to get a better idea my chances for college that are in the top 10-20 ranks.</p>

<p>Some schools will give you a breakdown of scores and/or grades of who applied and who was admitted. WashU is not one of those, but here are two schools that do. You can decide for yourself which candidates were “qualified.”</p>

<p>[Admission</a> Facts | Undergraduate Admission](<a href=“Undergraduate Admission | Brown University”>Undergraduate Admission | Brown University)</p>

<p>[Admission</a> Statistics | Wellesley College](<a href=“http://www.wellesley.edu/admission/knowus/admitstats]Admission”>http://www.wellesley.edu/admission/knowus/admitstats)</p>

<p>That’s the real question isn’t it? How much of it really is a “crapshoot?”</p>

<p>FYI WUSTL did not get 40000 applications- for 2013, they received 30117 applications, accepted 4520, and enrolled about 1600.</p>

<p>And who is “qualified” is in the eye of the beholder. I don’t think you’re ever going to get that information from any school.</p>

<p>You’re not going to get that information. But if you’re talking about the “top 10-20” (however you define that), the answer is, “most of 'em.” Most of the denied applicants are just as qualified academically as their counterparts who go the fat envelope.</p>